January 2011
In this Issue
NEW MEDIA:
- Dialogue4Health hosted a web forum entitled Health Reform is Working: A Discussion on Next Steps for Community Prevention. During the discussion, presenters provided updates on the status of the Affordable Care Act’s public health and prevention provisions. Forum panelists also discussed next steps that advocates could take to inform key decision-makers about the value of community prevention and shared recent examples of community prevention successes.
- National Health Law Program posted a podcast Requirements to Provide Language Assistance Services. Presenters discussed the Affordable Care Act’s provisions that aim to ensure that patients who are limited English speakers have access to quality health care, via oral interpreters and written translated pieces. The podcast detailed the connection between language access, health access, and healthier lives.
PUBLICATIONS:
- National Health Law Project (NHELP) released a series of short papers about the Affordable Care Act. The papers explain various provisions in the new law, including those pertaining to language access, consumer assistance programs that will help individuals understand their insurance options and rights, and essential benefits for children in exchanges. The series also includes an explanation of how the nondiscrimination provision should apply to the exchanges and the health insurance plans that participate in these exchanges.
- Center for American Progress published Easing the Burden: Using Health Care Reform to Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care for the Chronically Ill. This paper focuses on provisions in the health reform law that can help those who benefit the least from our current health system by addressing disparities in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic illnesses. The report examines key issues, such as improving access to health insurance coverage, improving access to primary care, addressing disparities in treatment and quality of care, providing culturally-competent care, and improving patient literacy.
- Center for American Progress published the report Measuring the Gaps: Collecting Data to Drive Improvements in Health Care Disparities. This paper highlights the importance of health care provider involvement in collecting data on racial and ethnic health care disparities. The report also recommends collecting larger data sets based on race and ethnicity, which can be used to design targeted programs to provide patient-centered care.
- The National Council of La Raza published a series titled Profiles of Latino Health: A Closer Look at Latino Child Nutrition. Child nutrition has become a top priority for President Obama, the First Lady, and Congress. Latino children are the fastest growing segment of the population and already comprise 40 percent of the children living in hunger. This series provides a snapshot of the latest research and data on the issues affecting Latino child nutrition.
- The American Journal of Preventive Medicine released Moving on Upstream: The Role of Health Departments in Addressing Socioecologic Determinants of Disease, which urges public health departments to effectively assess and examine the impact of socioecologic impacts on disease and disparities. The report recommends collaboration between health departments and diverse segments of the community in order to effectively address any and all factors in the community that are responsible for affecting health status.
- The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published Broadening the Focus: The Need to Address the Social Determinants of Health, which explores the connection between socioeconomic factors, race, and health status. This piece urges policymakers to look at factors that directly affect health, like environment and access to healthy foods, when creating policy. The study reveals how health is influenced by social factors across lifetimes and generations.
- The Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved released the report Predictors of Employment Status among African Americans with Sickle Cell Disease. The study examines demographic, illness perception, and psychological variables for employment outcomes in adults with sickle cell disease. The study also details differences in employment rates for people with sickle cell disease based on gender status.
- The Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved also published A National Study of Problematic Care Experiences among Latinos with Diabetes, which compares problematic care experiences among Latinos with diabetes that are treated in typical health care sites, like community health centers and private physician practices. Nearly one-half of the respondents reported at least one problematic care experience. Health insurance coverage is a significant explainable difference in problematic care experience s between community health centers and private physician offices.
[Return to top]
Updates Department of Health and Human Services
New Affordable Care Act Provisions Take Effect
On January 1st, new consumer protections in health reform took effect, moving us closer toward affordable, quality health care for all. Under the Affordable Care Act’s Medical Loss Ratio requirement, insurers are now required to publicly disclose how they spend premium dollars. In addition, insurers have a minimum amount they are required to spend on medical care and quality improvements. If insurers do not meet these requirements, they will need to provide a rebate to their customers. Also beginning this year, seniors will receive discounts on prescription drugs in Medicare Part D, and there is no longer cost-sharing for preventive services in the Medicare program. For a full list of provisions and details, click here.
HHS announces bonuses for increasing enrollment for uninsured children in Medicaid
HHS awarded $206 million to 15 states for making significant progress in enrolling uninsured children in Medicaid. This year’s bonuses are more than double the $75 million awarded to ten states last year. Funding for the “performance bonuses” was included in the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization (CHIPRA) legislation signed into law by President Obama in February 2009. Click here for a table that lists the award allocations. The table also provides information about the policies states implemented and the increase in children enrolled in Medicaid.
CMS revamps Medicare.gov and develops tool to help patients choose a doctor
CMS revamped Medicare.gov and launched Physician Compare, a new web tool intended to ease the process for patients who are trying to find a doctor. The tool provides optional search criteria, such as a patient’s preference of the doctor’s gender. Furthermore, the patient can limit his or her physician search to only show providers who accept the Medicare-approved amount as payment in full. The website also lists whether physicians participate in a quality reporting program. Click here to access the new Physician Compare feature.
Safe Passages
Safe Passages, created as an Urban Health Initiative project by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was founded in 1995. This California-based organization focuses on ensuring that all children and youth of Oakland and Alameda County have equitable access to health care, education, and mentors. To achieve this goal, Safe Passages has created intervention programs for children from early childhood to middle school, with a major focus on the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Some of their most notable programs include the Middle School Strategy and the Early Childhood Initiative, which promote violence prevention and healthy environments.
In order to prevent juvenile delinquency, Safe Passages focuses on promoting system changes to address many of the problems that impoverished families face that result in their child entering jail. Josephina Alvarado-Mena, chief executive director of Safe Passages, expressed much concern over the school to jail pipeline that had been created in the county. When discussing this issue, Alvarado-Mena mentioned a range of issues that affect disadvantaged schools and families that contribute to this school to jail cycle. Alvarado-Mena says, “Many public programs do not meet families where they are; our goal is to bring high-quality services directly to families.” Thus, Safe Passages provides services, like case management and parent/infant psychotherapy, to the citizens of Oakland and Alameda County. Safe Passages also focuses on the link between lack of access to health care and poor social environment, which contributes significantly to the problem of incarceration in the area. The Elev8 Initiative, a program that aims to bring school-based health clinics to various middle schools throughout the community, was their answer to this problem. These clinics provide culturally-appropriate medical, dental, and mental health care services. Currently, there are five school-based clinics—selected based on various criteria including socioeconomic need and community health status—that have served over 2000 people.
Working with different patients through the Elev8 initiative has also made the organization more understanding of the needs of undocumented kids and families. These clinics are one of the few places in the area were undocumented immigrants can receive health care. In light of health reform implementation, the organization has tried to spark new conversation about ways to provide health care services to these families. In addition to talking about the needs of undocumented immigrants in health reform, the group also works to educate patients on the many consumer protections the new law has for citizens through health forums and community discussion.
For more information about Safe Passages, click here or call (510)-238-6368.
[Return to top]
- Policy Briefing: The Public's Health Care Agenda for the President and the New Congress
January 25, 2011
Barbara Jordan Conference Center, 1330 G Street NW, Washington DC, 20005
Sponsor: The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health
For more information and to register, click here.
- Health Action 2011
January 27-29, 2011
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
Sponsor: Families USA
For more information and to register, click here.
- Addressing the Intersection: Preventing Violence Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living
February 2, 2011
Capitol Visitor Center (First Street Entrance), Washington, DC 20015
Sponsor: Prevention Institute in partnership with Senator Tom Harkin, Chair, HELP Committee; and Representative Barbara Lee
For more information, click here.
- 2011 National Health Policy Conference
February 7-8, 2011
JW Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Sponsor: AcademyHeatlh
For more information and to register, click here.
- Multilevel Interventions in Healthcare: Building the Foundation for Future Research
March 4-5, 2011
Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Sponsor: National Cancer Institute
For more information and to register, click here.
- Science of Dissemination and Implementation: Policy and Practice
March 21-22, 2011
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, Bethesda, MD 20852
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
For more information and to register, click here.
- 10th Annual Native Women and Men’s Wellness Conference
March 27-31, 2011
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, 800 Rio Grand Boulevard NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
Sponsor: American Indian Institute
For more information and to register, click here.
Requests for Local Publications
Here
at Families USA, we believe that public education is essential to
gaining support for health reform. We are asking that you help us in our
efforts to educate the public about the benefits of the Affordable Care
Act by informing us of local, state, and even national newspapers that
serve your community. We are especially interested in outlets that reach
various racial and ethnic groups and senior citizens. If you have any
questions or would like to submit publications, please contact the
Minority Health Initiatives Department here at Families USA at minorityhealth@familiesusa.org.
|
We’d like to hear from you!
If you would like to see your organization or event
highlighted in a future edition of our newsletter, please send us a
brief description of your organization and its activities, as well as
your contact information. We also welcome guest authors for
the Activities in the Field section of the newsletter. This section
provides members of the minority health field with the opportunity to
share their experiences and insights with other advocates. Please send
all correspondence to: minorityhealth@familiesusa.org.
|
[Return to top]
|
|
